Free Web NovelChapter 174: Chapter 174: The Cause of the Turmoil
Moyun Peak was just ahead.
On the pillar-like peak, eroded by wind and rain, there was no man-made path to the summit.
This was mainly because the top was barren earth and rock, devoid of any greenery, so no one had bothered to make one.
Aside from Cultivators, only poets and scholars would go to the trouble of climbing this mountain to leave behind their writings, seeking fame and fortune.
However, in these chaotic times, no scholar had the leisure to come here and express their feelings.
Bai Mo and the other two had started climbing before dawn, and by the time they reached the summit plateau, an hour had passed.
Under the piercing sunlight, a figure sat cross-legged on the summit.
Zhao Jingyu, carrying the coffin, squinted against the sun and recognized the person.
"Wuyin?"
She was the only female among the outer sect disciples on this mission, and she had a somewhat cold personality.
Wan Shenxiu’s eyes were dry, so he looked away, glancing around.
"Where are Brother Mo and the others?"
Wuyin opened her eyes and said flatly:
"Brother Mo is busy with an important matter. Qi Yang is assisting him."
"The three of you look quite well. It seems you’ve been doing alright?"
Zhao Jingyu, ever the boaster, waved his hand and said:
"It was nothing. We just had a couple of exchanges with some people from the Douchen Sect and nearly killed one of their Qi Refining Eighth Layer disciples."
"On our way back, we were also hosted by a few fellow Daoists for several days."
Thanks to the hospitality of Tan Long and the others, those few days had been quite comfortable, which explained his ruddy complexion.
His rather boastful words did not faze Wuyin in the slightest.
She merely shot Zhao Jingyu a faint glance before looking away again.
Bai Mo had sharp eyes and suddenly noticed a lock of hair missing from her forehead, which she had covered with strands from the side.
"Huh? Fellow Daoist Wu, were you in a fight?"
The moment he spoke, Zhao Jingyu and Wan Shenxiu noticed it too.
"Ah, it’s true! Is it really that brutal fighting alongside Brother Mo?"
"You’ve worked hard, Junior Sister Wu."
Wuyin’s expression shifted slightly.
"Brother Mo issued a challenge, so of course we had to lend a hand."
"You should wait. Brother Mo will be here soon. We’ve all been resting here for the past few days."
In fact, she had been left here to recover from her injuries and was now almost fully healed.
She wasn’t a woman of many words, and Bai Mo and the others soon lost interest in making conversation.
The three of them simply sat off to the side, took out the dried meat that Tan Long had given them before they left, and shared it amongst themselves.
Zhao Jingyu had a large appetite. While eating with great relish, he also asked Bai Mo about the Five Obstacles Pill.
A Pill used in such a way was rare, and with its ability to corrode Spiritual Qi, it was highly effective against Arrays.
Wan Shenxiu was naturally interested as well, chiming in with a few words from the side every so often.
Bai Mo was still undecided on the price of the Five Obstacles Pill. He wasn’t sure if he could find a large quantity of Cinnabar Sand after returning to the sect, and he didn’t know the cost-effectiveness if he had to substitute it with other materials.
Thus, he had never mentioned a price.
They passed half a day idly. In the afternoon, Mo Tianshu finally returned.
He flew up to the summit with Qi Yang, pausing for a moment when he saw Bai Mo’s group.
"Brother Mo."
"Brother Mo."
The three, who had been bored stiff, quickly greeted him.
"Mm." Mo Tianshu nodded.
"You’re all back. What’s the deal with that coffin?"
He gestured toward the coffin placed to the side.
Zhao Jingyu gave an embarrassed laugh, rubbing his hands together.
"This is a Combat Puppet. A little local specialty we plan to take back. I hope you’re not laughing at us, Brother Mo."
Mo Tianshu frowned.
"You robbed a disciple of the Douchen Sect? Where did you get this thing?"
Zhao Jingyu was taken aback.
"You don’t know, Brother Mo?"
He instinctively looked toward his two accomplices, Bai Mo and Wan Shenxiu, and they all stared at each other in bewilderment.
Seeing their expressions, Mo Tianshu knew something was amiss.
He found a suitable rock and sat down.
"Tell me. What happened?"
The three of them recounted the entire story from beginning to end.
When he heard that the Douchen Sect was plotting against the Fire Cave Dynasty and refining Combat Puppets, Mo Tianshu’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
"To have nearly killed a Qi Refining Eighth Layer Cultivator... not bad."
Qi Yang, who had been assisting him for the past few days, gave the trio a rare smile, his eyes tinged with a hint of envy.
He and Wuyin had received quite a tongue-lashing from Brother Mo.
Zhao Jingyu smiled smugly.
"It was all thanks to Junior Brother Bai’s Pills."
Mo Tianshu nodded.
"I can see that..."
He took out an object and casually tossed it to Bai Mo.
Bai Mo quickly caught it.
It was a Talisman. Judging by the marks on it, it had clearly been activated.
The activation had likely been forcibly interrupted halfway through, as the Talisman was now damaged.
Bai Mo recalled the frost-like glint of Mo Tianshu’s sword pellet, and his heart couldn’t help but tighten.
’With Brother Mo’s abilities, he could indeed interrupt a Talisman in the brief instant of its activation.’
"This is..."
Bai Mo looked confused.
Mo Tianshu said, "Someone from the Marvelous Dharma Sect. They’re quite unruly."
Though they didn’t know what had happened when Mo Tianshu encountered this person, the fact that the Talisman—a symbol of a Talisman-using sect member’s identity—had been taken meant the opponent’s fate could be easily imagined.
"People from the Marvelous Dharma Sect are here..."
Bai Mo felt a headache coming on.
"What has the Fire Cave Dynasty done to deserve having so many major powers gathered here?"
A smile suddenly appeared on Mo Tianshu’s face.
"That, I actually know."
The new outer sect disciples immediately turned their gazes upon him.
"The Fire Cave Dynasty has become what it is today, and the source of all the turmoil, was the Son of Heaven’s quest for the Dao."
"He probably sought help from the wrong people, which led to everything that followed."
Bai Mo thought of the group that was skilled in using the Corpse God Pill and couldn’t help but shake his head.
’If he really did seek them out, it only goes to show that the Fire Cave Dynasty is truly facing a national crisis.’
Wuyin hesitated before asking:
"Qi Yang and I have been by your side constantly, Brother Mo, yet we know nothing of these matters."
"Do you have other sources of information?"
Mo Tianshu was noncommittal.
"The Xuandao Sect used to have close ties with the Fire Cave Dynasty. Many of our fellow disciples have dealings with the Cultivators here."
"When I came out this time, someone passed their contacts on to me."
Bai Mo had a moment of realization, but he wasn’t surprised.
The Fire Cave Dynasty produced valuable resources, and the profits involved were immense. It wasn’t strange for someone to establish connections with disciples from the sect.
It was even possible that many of the people passing along information were ministers of the imperial court.
The inner workings of it all were truly not meant for public knowledge.
It was understandable that Mo Tianshu would contact them in secret.
"In that case, what are your plans now, Brother Mo?"
Seeing that Wuyin wanted to ask more, Bai Mo quickly cut in.
Mo Tianshu’s eyelids drooped slightly.
"First, we’ll eliminate the rebel leader. Stir up the situation and force those hiding beneath the surface to reveal themselves."
"I’ve observed that when the Son of Heaven fights the rebels, he holds back at every turn. Otherwise, with his current invulnerable physique, his opponent wouldn’t last fifty moves even if they fought to the death."
Qi Yang added from the side:
"I went with Brother Mo to deliver the challenge. He greatly admires the rebel leader."
He said this with a hint of bitterness. As fellow disciples, he and Wuyin had yet to earn such high praise from their brother.
Wan Shenxiu had been listening quietly from the side when he suddenly spoke up.
"What is the rebel leader’s cultivation level?"
"He probably just entered Foundation Establishment not long ago. I heard he was quite famous before, considered something of a prodigy."
Qi Yang said.
"Brother Mo is fierce..." Zhao Jingyu started, then paused.
"...his reputation is formidable. What if that person doesn’t show up?"
Mo Tianshu sighed, and with his hands behind his back, he looked toward the distant beacon smoke that rose like a long serpent.
"A man of humble origins who has faced countless setbacks yet remains dauntless and advances courageously is the most respectable kind of person."
"I must give him a dignified end. If he doesn’t want it, then he can’t blame me..."
